Herschel Gordon Brown

Herschel Gordon Brown, Visionary Servant-Leader, Oct. 1, 1920 - May 23, 2010. Devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, friend of the City of Dallas, the State Fair of Texas and the Dallas Athletic Club, Herschel Brown went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 23, 2010, after a long bout with Alzheimer’s. Herschel was the son of the late Carl M. and Ida May Brown and had one sister, the late Corinne B. Walton and one brother, the late Howard D. Brown. He was also the husband of the late Frances Brown, father of the late Larry G. Brown, and is survived by his daughter-in-law Linda Kay Nesbit Brown, grandchildren Jason Brown married to wife Cyndi Brown, and Jennifer Sherlock, wife of the late Matthew Sherlock, and great-grandchildren Layton and Parker Brown, and Jacob and Luke Sherlock. Herschel attended Reinhardt Elementary, J.L. Long Jr. High and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1938 before attending TCU. Herschel began developing the 256 acre family farm with his father Carl into what is now Casa Linda Estates and Casa Linda Shopping Center. Building roads with a wiggle-tail plow, putting in gas and sewer lines and laying underground pipe to bring in water from Dallas all allowed the Casa Linda area to be annexed by the city of Dallas in 1945. Herschel also started the Mobil service station with Jim Smith which was at the corner of Buckner Blvd. and Garland Rd. After selling his interest in Casa Linda in 1984, Herschel began donating more of his time and efforts to the City of Dallas, the DFW Airport Board, the State Fair of Texas, several Banking Boards and the Dallas Athletic Club where he was a member since 1954. Herschel was a Charter member and Past-President of the East Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Past-President of the East Dallas Exchange Club, and was also a member of the Edwin J. Kiest Masonic Lodge and Lakeview Christian Church. His list of service includes: Director and Secretary of The D/FW Airport Board, Director and Vice-President of the State Fair of Texas Board and Vice-President of the Executive Committee, member and Chairman of the City Plan Commission of Dallas, member of the Committee to rewrite zoning ordinances, member of Dallas County Thoroughfare Development Committee, member of the Central Highway Commission, member of Street and Highway Committee, Chairman of the Committee for Good Schools in 1974, member of Task Force for Education Excellence Committee - DISD, Chairman of DISD Facilities Committee, member of Steering Committee Community Council of Greater Dallas County Health Dept., member of the Citizens Charter Review Committee, Co-Chairman District 5-1975 City Bond Information Program, ex-officio member of Dallas Citizen Council Board, Director of Baylor Rehabilitation Center Board, Director of Casa Linda National Bank/White Rock, Comerica, Van Zandt, First Bank and Grand Bank, Past-President and Chairman of Golf and Grounds Committee - Dallas Athletic Club.

Herschel loved the precept of building things that would stand the test of time, not taking any personal credit, and operating from the viewpoint that the project would be "good for everybody". His love of family, service to others, generosity to many and enjoyment of fun and laughter with his buddies from DAC will be sorely missed by those who were honored to have him as a friend. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to The State Fair of Texas Scholarship Fund, http://www.bigtex.com/aboutus/scholarshipprogram. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, May 28, 2010, at 10am, Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home. John 13:3-5